


A Little Bit of Hope (version 2)

by LadyPaigeC



Series: As It Should Be [1]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Kid Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-04
Updated: 2017-08-04
Packaged: 2018-12-11 04:13:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11706591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyPaigeC/pseuds/LadyPaigeC
Summary: The Doctor and Clara go to an amusement park. The Doctor realizes he is already there and tries to find himself, but it isn't a previous self he ends up meeting.





	A Little Bit of Hope (version 2)

**Author's Note:**

> After a re-watch of Cold War, I wondered how the Doctor ended up with a Barbie doll in his pocket. This story was born of that question. Not only did Cold War have an influence on this fic, but also The Wedding of River Song where the Eleventh Doctor says "I could help Rose Tyler with her homework." Yeah, looks like he did, and Jackie knew what was up.
> 
> (Also, if this story seems very familiar it's because it is an almost identical edit of this same story previously posted prior to the Thirteenth Doctor casting announcement. In the original the 13th Doctor was written as male. I kept that story up, but took it out of the series and replaced it with this one, as I want the series to take place within the canon-verse though AU with Rose added.)

The Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS and straightened his bow tie. He glanced back at his companion with delight. “Here we are, Clara. A whole planet dedicated to amusements.”

Clara laughed and her smile grew. “You're sure they have roller coasters?”

“All of Quadrant Four.”

“Well then, lead on!” Clara pushed the Time Lord into moving forward. 

“We’ll just pop on the--” The Doctor stopped abruptly. “The, uh, the tram...” He tilted his head as if listening.

“Doctor? Is everything alright?”

His gaze swung to Clara and he smiled. “Of course. It's just, well, I think...I think I might be here already.”

Clara looked at him puzzled. 

“I mean another me, a past or future me.”

“Oh! Can we go find you and say ‘hi?’”

The Doctor shook his head. “I'm sorry. It's never good when there is more than one of me in the same place.”

Clara looked disappointed, but didn't argue. 

The Doctor pointed to a sign. “Follow the signs to the tram. Get on the one heading northwest, it’ll take you to Quadrant Four.”

“But what about you?”

“I'll be right behind you, just want to make sure there’s no crisis first. Get rid of the other me. I'll meet you at the Mega Dragon Coaster.”

“Are you sure you don't want me to--”

“Just go on, Clara. I won't be more than a few minutes.”

“Fine.” 

Clara walked off in a huff toward the entrance to the tram and the Doctor spun and looked around. He didn't see anyone that he had been and there weren't any probable future hims that he could see. There were several families and couples and groups of friends. He closed his eyes and focused inwards to see if he could get a sense of how far away his other self was. 

He vaguely heard a mother calling out for her daughter before he tuned out all the ambient noise. His eyes opened with a gasp as he realized he could feel not only his own mental signature but that of two other Time Lords. He whispered, “impossible,” right before he was grabbed around his knees from behind by some sort of little creature. 

“Daddy!”

He looked down in confusion at a little humanoid girl holding a Barbie doll. She looked up at him with honey colored eyes and dirty blonde pigtails. She reached up and said, “Up, Daddy.”

He stood frozen until the little girl stomped her foot and pouted. “Up!”

He reached down in surprise and lifted her up in his arms. “Why do you keep calling me ‘Daddy?’ That's twice now you've done it. Don't you know what your own father looks like?”

She played with his bow tie and giggled. “Of course, I know what my Daddy looks like.”

“And I look like him, I suppose?”

The little girl shook her head. “Not if I look with my eyes.” 

“Well, what else would you look with if not your eyes?”

“My hearts.”

The little girl looked at him with a sweet little smile and the Doctor felt a pang in the region of his hearts. _Hearts?_ “I'm sorry did you just say, ‘hearts?’”

The little girl giggled and cupped his chin. “You're silly. I like your chin.”

He opened his mouth to respond when a blonde woman and a sandy haired boy with bright blue eyes ran up to them. 

“You are in so much trouble.” The boy was talking to his sister and when he looked up the Doctor his eyes grew round. “Oh.”

The girl's mother scolded, “Jacqueline, how many times do I have to tell you that you're not to wander off and talk to strangers.” She reached for her daughter and got her first good look at the Doctor. “I'm so sorry. She--” Her head tilted in confusion. “Professor Smith?” 

The Doctor looked at her in astonishment. “Rose.”

“What are you doing…” Rose trailed off when she realized how her maths tutor from when she was 14 could be on an alien planet in the year 3208. Her hand flew through the air and slapped him across the cheek. Both children cringed in sympathy.

He raised his hand to the side of his face. “Ow, what was that for?” 

“Mum always said she didn't like the way you were always starin’ at me. Thought you were a pervert. Little did she know.” 

“I resent the implication, Rose Tyler. I just wanted to help you pass your maths class.”

Rose laughed and then hugged the Doctor tightly. “Oh, Doctor!” 

The Doctor pulled back. “What are you doing here? Are these your children?”

Rose nodded and pulled the boy closer to her. “This is Alistair and you've got Jacqueline.”

The Doctor looked at the boy. “Alistair?” And then at the little girl in his arms. “And Jacqueline, eh?”

The little girl nodded. “Jacqueline Amelia Susan Tyler. I'm four.”

Rose cleared her throat and looked at her daughter with a raised eyebrow.

“Or I will be four in 26 days.” Jacqueline glared at her mother. “Daddy and you and Jamie lie about your ages all the time.”

Rose shook her head at her precocious daughter and the Doctor couldn't stop his own laugh. 

“You're the sweetest little Jackie Tyler I've ever met.”

Alistair rolled his eyes. “Mum’s slapped you once already today, do you really want to push your luck insulting Gran?”

Rose ruffled her son’s hair and smiled down at him.

Jacqueline examined the Doctor’s cheek with her hand. “Does your face hurt?” She leaned in and gave him a kiss over the handprint. “I kiss it better, Daddy.”

The Doctor had to clear his throat before saying, “Thank you, poppet. It doesn't hurt anymore.” Jacqueline beamed at him. “Why are you calling me ‘Daddy?’ Surely you know that I'm not really your father.”

Jacqueline’s bottom lip began to quiver. “Yes, you are.”

The Doctor was looking at Jacqueline with such longing that it brought tears to Rose’s eyes. He pulled his gaze away from the child and pleaded with Rose. “Rose, please…”

Alistair tugged on his sister’s leg to get her attention. “Don't cry, Jackie. He just means that this body isn't the Daddy we know. He isn't our father yet.”

The Doctor looked in shock at the boy. “Yet?” He gasped. “You're both Time Tots! You're the other Time Lords I sensed when I got here? But how?”

Alistair looked guiltily at his mother. “I, uh…I didn't mean to say that.”

Rose kneeled down and faced her son. “It's okay. He’s going to have to forget this anyway, no harm done. It's the first time you've crossed your father’s timeline and you did way better than I did when I crossed my dad’s.” She gave him a quick hug and kiss before she stood to face the Doctor who was gaping at them. 

“What? How? What about the meta--”

Rose held up her hand stopping him. “You’re gonna hide these memories, yeah?”

He nodded.

“They are your children. Properly yours, or will be. The...the human Doctor isn't their father. He...let’s just say...he died and I didn't.”

“Oh, Rose. I’m--”

Rose shook her head and wiped away tears, stopping him from finishing that sentence.

“But you're here...in this universe?”

“I am, but I can't tell you how or when I come back. Just that I do...come back to you.”

The Doctor looked from Alistair to Jacqueline. “Two of them? We have two children?”

Rose nodded and smiled. “Kinda have four, but the older ones are on their own adventure.” Rose laughed at the Doctor’s shocked expression and wiped away her tears. “Amusement park was too tame for ‘em. Gonna be sorry they missed seeing you...this you.”

The Doctor held Jackie in one arm and hugged Rose close with the other. He kissed the top of her head. “My girls. I don't know how I'm going to walk away from you again.”

“I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Doctor.”

“That’s usually my line.”

Rose gave him a small grin and pulled away, taking Jackie from the Doctor. “You're going to walk away and forget about us because you know as well as I do that you'd never endanger their existence.” 

The Doctor smiled brightly at Rose, pride and love evident in his gaze. “You always know the right thing to say to me.”

“Have a lot of experience with that.” Rose gave him his favorite tongue touched grin. With a groan he leaned in and kissed her. 

“Mum! Dad! Gross.” Alistair looked around, embarrassed by his parents’ public display. 

Rose and the Doctor broke apart in amusement. 

The Doctor kneeled in front of Alistair. “Can I have a hug goodbye?”

The Doctor had hardly a second to brace himself before Alistair flung himself into his arms. “I'm sorry I messed up and told a spoiler.”

“Oh tosh. How are you supposed to learn if you never make a mistake? I make loads of mistakes...all the time, just ask your mother.”

“But--”

“No buts. I can tell you are a brilliant Time Lord and am very proud to have you as my son. I can't wait to be your dad.” The Doctor squeezed Alistair tighter before reluctantly pulling back and standing up. 

“And you, Miss Jacqueline Amelia Susan Tyler, my precious girl, I can tell you're gonna keep me on my toes. It was an honor to meet you.”

The Doctor leaned in to give Jackie a hug and she wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He closed his eyes and breathed in the scent of sugar and spice. 

Once again, he reluctantly pulled back. Sadness flashed in his eyes before he steeled himself and grinned. “Well, it was lovely to meet you, but I really must be off. Until we meet again.”

The Doctor spun on his heels and started off toward the tram.

“Daddy, wait.”

He stopped, but paused before turning around. “Yes, poppet?”

“I want you to have Mummy-Doll.” Jacqueline held out her Barbie to the Doctor. 

“I couldn't possibly take your dolly away from you.”

“I have Mummy to make me feel happy when I'm sad. Mummy-Doll will stay with you and make you not sad until Mummy finds you again.”

“Thank you, sweetheart. I'll keep her safe for you.” The Doctor looked down at the pink and yellow doll and smiled, it did indeed remind him of Rose. He put it in his bigger on the inside pocket and gave Rose and the two children one last kiss goodbye. “Goodbye, my darlings.”

With a wave, the Doctor turned and went off to find Clara.

Rose and the children stayed until they couldn't see him anymore. 

“I believe it's time for ice cream.” Rose startled at the sound of her wife’s voice. Rose looked at the Doctor holding a tray of ice cream cones, smiling smugly, and leaned in for a kiss.

Alistair rolled his eyes. "Do you two have to kiss all the time?"

The Doctor laughed and ruffled her son's hair. Jackie reached for her. “Daddy!” 

The Doctor handed Rose the frozen treats and took Jacqueline from her. “I have something for you, poppet.” She took Jackie’s Barbie out of her pocket and handed it back to her. “Thank you, my sweet, sweet girl. I didn't always know why, but your dolly gave me a little bit of hope when I needed it most.”

Rose held out her hand to the Doctor; young or old, male or female, human or Time Lord, it was always a perfect fit. “Let's go home.”

\--------

The younger Doctor finally made it to the Mega Dragon Coaster. Clara had her arms crossed when he spotted her.

“Well?”

“Well what?”

Clara glared at him. “Well did you find yourself? Was there a crisis that needed averting?”

The Doctor paused as memories settled into place, or no, were locked away. _Best not think too much on that._ He shrugged. “Oh no, not at all. Ran around looking for him, but never actually found him before he left.”

He rubbed his hands together in glee. “Right then, Clara, Mega Dragon Coaster. It's won best roller coaster in this galaxy 3 years in a row. Twenty seven loops, 14 droops, 7 anti-grav jumps, 3 free falls…”

Clara shook her head at the Doctor. “Leave a little bit of surprise. Come on.” She took off laughing, the Doctor racing her to the entrance.

**Author's Note:**

> And a final note: I know that the Thirteenth Doctor's casting announcement has created a stir in the fandom and I've been seeing a lot regarding how respectful it will be treated for the LGBTQ+ community, especially the transgender community. On one hand I don't think that the Doctor is transgender (rather that Time Lords are genderfluid), but I do see how comparisons can and will be made. I've tried to be as respectful as I know how to be within my story. It is my personal headcanon that the Doctor and Rose's love is for the person not the body. Rose will love the Doctor no matter what the outside looks like, because she loves the person on the inside. The kids refer to the Doctor as "Daddy" (whether in a male or female body) because that is who the Doctor is to them and the name that was given to him when they were born. I know there are a lot of alternate names for non-binary parents, nearly as many choices as their are families. I chose to use "Daddy." Partly because the one person I actually know with a transgender parent calls her transgender parent/biological father "Dad." Her family's reasons for not changing what they called their dad made sense to me, and I felt that because the Doctor was named Daddy before he knew he would regenerate into a woman and because the children were young when it happened that keeping the name "Daddy/Dad" worked for my story as well.


End file.
